News Media Advisory
                                
U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement

For release Wednesday, October 23, 1996                       Contact: David Hamilton (717)783-2285

Surface Mining Director Announces $325,000 F      or Quemahoning Creek
          Acid Mine Drainage Clean-Up, Somerset County

     Kathrine Henry, Acting Director of the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), today announced a $325,000 grant to help restore
Quemahoning Creek Watershed from acid mine drainage pollution. Funds will be awarded to the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as part of OSM's Appalachian Clean
Streams Initiative.

     Henry said formal announcement of the grant will take place in a ceremony place at the
old water treatment plant in Ferrellton, Jenners Township, at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 23,
1996.  Joining Henry will be representatives from Congressman Murtha's office, Somerset
County, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, the Stoney Creek Conemaugh River Improvement Project, USDA Natural
Resource Conservation Service, and other county and local officials and citizens.

     Interior's Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative was launched last year by OSM to build
federal-state-local and public-private partnerships, all pooling resources to help clean up waters
polluted by acid mine drainage.  With the support of  President Clinton, Congressman Murtha
and others, Congress appropriated $4 million from the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Fund
for this and 12 other Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative projects in coalfield regions.

     Ms. Henry said:  "The Office of Surface Mining is extremely pleased to be able to
provide $325,000, plus staff resources, to start restoring the Quemahoning Creek Watershed from
the effects of decades of acid mine drainage.  We look forward to working in partnership with the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in this effort, and with other agencies,
groups, and individuals who share in the Clean Streams goal.  The partnership working together
for watershed restoration in Quemahoning Creek is exactly what the Appalachian Clean Streams
Initiative was designed to promote. Standing alone, the task can seem overwhelming.  But by
working together, we can bring streams back to life.  And we are."

                               DOI